Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Top 6 Foods to Eat to Gain Weight

Most health and fitness tips seem to be themed around getting slimmer or more muscular.


The niche of people who are naturally skinny and struggle to put-on the teensy-weensy bit of weight seems to be totally ignored.

There are many folks who struggle hard to have the basic amount of meat on their bones that is vital for looking healthy if not beautiful. This doesn’t mean than skinny people cannot look good, but it is better to have an average amount of body mass. So, use the following food items if you too are a member of the skinny club:

1. Dry Raisins to Gain Weight:
Please understand that you need more than an average amount of natural or plant/fruit sugar to gain weight easily. This means eating the sweetest of natural foods like dried raisins. This includes the popular dry fruit, kish-mish and dates. These are loaded with fiber that helps to maintain a robust digestive system that is vital for sustaining proper absorption of nutrients. Among bodybuilders, dried raisins are regarded as the perfect snack, instantly providing them a calorie surplus that helps to gain weight or muscle with ease.

2. Carbohydrate Sources that Help to Gain Weight:
Carbs are the main source of energy for our body and when we have an excess of energy supply, some of it is stored which helps to gain weight. You need to consume complex carbohydrates that are packed with more nutrients and provide a compact form of calories. You might argue that a packet of potato chips contains more calories but most of these calories are going to be diverted towards thickening your arteries, pushing you towards a heart attack. Calories gained from complex carbs like rice, potatoes, oatmeal, bananas, whole wheat pasta/pasta and beans provide energy reserve that aids uniform, healthy weight gain.

3. Being Nutty Helps to Gain Weight:
Most of us tend to feed upon nuts and seeds once the cold season is upon us. However, a minimal amount of nuts should be eaten throughout the year. They contain the healthiest form of calories, contributing to your overall health besides helping you gain weight. You have a large number of options to choose from, including almonds, peanuts, walnuts and cashews apart from sunflower and flax seeds. Indian wisdom says that during the hot season, nuts can be consumed after soaking them in water which ensures that their thermogenic affect is not felt. Nuts provide the easiest way of consuming condensed calories without feeling full. A few roasted peanuts are equivalent to a chapatti in terms of calorie count. Walnuts present the most amazing combination of healthy or monounsaturated fats apart from phytosterols and compounds needed for stimulating formation of nitric oxide which aids faster muscle recovery and muscular growth. Thus, if you are gymming to gain bulk, remember to consume about 25 gm of walnuts, every day.

4. Fruit Juices to Gain Weight:
You need an energy-packed source that can also provide essential vitamins. The easiest solution to this is orange juice. For starters, you can consume more oranges in the juice form. Oranges are a great source of Vitamin C which ensures better metabolism of nitric oxide. Keep away from sugary, carbonated drinks that can make you look a few months pregnant but does little in terms of helping you gain weight in the right manner. Try to choose energy-dense juices like pomegranates and pineapple juices.

5. Using Fats to Gain Weight:
Besides vegetable oils used in most Indian households, you need to supplement yourself with some lesser used oils. This includes capsules of fish liver oil and a few drops of olive oil dabbed on your bread. These oils contain a higher concentration of good fats apart from omega-3 fatty acids. Ensure that you raise your intake of dairy foods, including medium-fat milk, curd, cottage cheese and butter. Ensure that you dedicate each day towards consuming at least two types of the fats listed here. Even if you are a vegetarian, try to consume eggs on a daily basis. Eggs contain one of the purest forms of protein needed for sustaining your lean muscle mass.

6. Using Atypical Food Sources to Gain Weight:

The advent of supermarkets around us has ensured easy access to typical American foods like Avocados and Granola. Avocados are packed with calories besides being rich in vitamin K and fiber. Shop for granola bars and cookies and add them to your tea or milk time, using these as your snacking regulars as they are packed with healthy calories.

Credit: Mensxp

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